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Islam Notes
Origins and History
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Established 1400 years ago
It developed 600 years after Christianity.
It is the 2nd most worshipped religion in the world with over one billion followers.
Followers of Islam are called Muslims
Islam comes from the Arabic word for “submission and obedience”
Founded by the prophet Muhammad, who was the last prophet to receive the word of God from an
angel. Muhammad wrote down that message in the Koran.
A prophet is someone who is believed to have spoken to a God and then repeats God’s message. They
are a messenger of God.
There were many prophets before Muhammad including: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Job, Moses, John the
Baptist, and Jesus.
Muhammad preached in Mecca (which is modern day Saudi Arabia) that people should give up
polytheism and believe in one true god
There are 3 holy cities: Mecca is the most holy city of Islam, followed by Medina and Jerusalem.
Muhammad was forced out – went to Medina – and established the new faith. He returned to Mecca
and conquered the city in a holy war.
Major Beliefs
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Islam is monotheistic- worship of only one God
The Arabic word for God is “Allah.” Muslims, then, call God, Allah.
Muslims believe that were many prophets before Muhammad including: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Job,
Moses, John the Baptist, and Jesus.
Like Christians, Muslims believe in Heaven, Hell, and Angels.
Holy Book
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The Koran (Qur’an) is the Holy Book of Islam which they believe contains the words of God as spoken to
the prophet, Mohammed
Muslim beliefs and practices come from their study of the Koran.
Major Practices
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Like Jews, Muslims do not eat pork
Sabbath (day of rest) is Friday
Muslims fast during the month of Ramadan, the most important holiday for all Muslims
o A month of sacrifice to connect with Allah.
o Muslims believe the gates of Heaven are open and the gates of Hell are locked during Ramadan.
The Muslim Moral Code of Conduct is the 5 Pillars of Islam. These are similar to the 10 Commandments
of Christianity and Judaism. These are the 5 things required of all believers of Islam.
1. Declaration of Faith (Shahada)– Belief that Allah is the only 1 true God, and Muhammad was his
messenger
2. Prayer (Salah) – Pray 5 times a day (dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and night.), always facing
Mecca, the holiest city in all of Islam.
3. Almsgiving (Zakat) – Give to charity and the needy
4. Fasting (Sawm) – During Ramadan, they do not eat or drink during daylight hours
5. Pilgrimage (Hajj) – Every Muslim should make a pilgrimage (religious journey) to Mecca at least once
in his / her life if they can afford it.
Worship
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Mosque – Muslim house of worship – Muslims remove shoes and cover head before entering
o During prayer, Muslims remove their shoes and cover their head.
o In the center of an Islamic mosque is a cube shaped building called a Kaaba (Ka’bah). Muslims face
the Kaaba during prayer.
o There are no pictures or statues in a mosque. They are decorated with patterns and words from
the Qur'an. There is also very little furniture inside because Muslims use prayer mats for prayer.
When people go into the mosque they take off their shoes. This is to keep it clean for prayer.
There is usually water or a pool, so they can wash their hands, mouth, throat, nose, ears, arms up to
their elbows, and their feet. This is symbolic to show they are coming for a spiritual cleanse.
Muslims kneel and pray, facing Mecca, during prayer. It is important to Muslims that they always know
the direction of Mecca.
Imam (I-mom) – A teacher of Islam who leads prayer service and takes care of the mosque.
Muslims are supposed to pray 5 times a day, always wash before prayer, and always pray in the direction
of Mecca.
Main Denominations
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Sunnis – Make up about 90% of all Muslims
Shiites – Muslims who believe that only descendants of Muhammad son-in-law should lead the Islamic
world
o Shiites split from the Sunnis when Muhammad died.
o They disagree on who should lead Islam and how the leader should be chosen.
Recent History
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Islam is practiced today by more than one billion Muslims.
It is the 2nd most worshipped religion in the world.